Television

1989: Rauf Khalid wrote and co-directed Madaar, a serial that exposed the menace of drug trafficking and was aired from PTV’s Quetta centre.

1991: He wrote the immensely popular comedy Guest House, a 52-episode series aired from PTV amid later claims that the characters were largely borrowed from the 1975 British comedy sitcom, Fawlty Towers, starring John Cleese and Connie Booth as Basil and Sybil Fawlty, respectively. Film actor Afzal Khan played the role of a sweeper heavily inspired by action film hero Sylvester Stallone aka John Rambo in the serial, and has come to be permanently known by that name in filmdom.

Others in the cast included Khalid Hafeez and Sarwat Attique (Mr and Mrs Shameem), Khalid Hafeez and Tariq Malik among others.

1994: Rauf directed Angar Wadi, a serial played out in 15 episodes for which he was an actor and a producer apart from writer.

1998: Laag, a 27-episode serial again written, directed, produced and acted in by him.

2008: Rauf made his third television serial Mishaal (writer, director and producer) which was telecast from PTV.

Films

2003: His debut film as director, producer and actor, Laaj cast newcomers Imran Abbas as Noor Ali Khan and Zara Sheikh as Ram Kori aka Chand Bibi in the lead. It went on to bag 12 Bolan Awards, 14 Graduate Awards, four National Film Awards and an LSA for best film. Sadly, it didn’t do very well in cinemas. Others in the cast included Talat Hussain, Najeebullah Anjum, Resham, Nirma, Rashid Mehmood, Nayyer Ijaz and others.

The plot focused on India under the British Raj in the 1920s with the fiercely independent Pathans of the North, the Fakir of Ippy and the love of a couple that went beyond the bounds of religion, cast, colour or language. — M.B.K.